Tirion Boan
Audio By Carbonatix
Keep Phoenix New Times Free
We’re aiming to raise $10,000 by April 26. Your support ensures New Times can continue watching out for you and our community. No paywall. Always accessible. Daily online and weekly in print.
In January 2024, Kasai Japanese Steakhouse made a flashy debut in Peoria with teppanyaki chefs chopping, grilling and putting on a show for diners at the Park West shopping center.
Just over two years later, those tableside grills have gone cold. The large 7,500-square-foot restaurant has permanently closed.
The West Valley eatery was the second location of the local concept, which got its start in north Scottsdale in 2018.
-
Handblown glass was used in a giant chandelier and a funky backdrop for the host stand at Kasai. -
Two of the restaurant’s signature cocktails are the Plumptious made with Akashi Ume Japanese whisky, pear liqueur, blackberry puree and fresh lemon juice and the Lavender Yuzu Drop which features citrus vodka, Choya Yuzu liqueur, creme de violet, fresh lemon juice and a sugar rim. -
The bar area sat at the front of the restaurant and had room for 50 customers. -
Kasai has closed in Peoria. It remains open in Scottsdale. -
At Kasai, each table got its own chef who cooked on a tabletop iron grill or teppan.
Along with rice, steak and seafood cooked right in front of customers, the menu also offered a selection of different Asian-fusion dishes, from Kung Pao noodles and Mongolian lamb chops to a Wagyu burger and sushi rolls. The drinks menu featured Asian-inspired cocktails with ingredients such as Japanese whiskey and yuzu liqueur, which customers could enjoy tableside or at a large bar in the front of the restaurant.
The Peoria steakhouse was all about the atmosphere, with blown-glass flames shooting out from the host stand and from a glowing orange chandelier. False fireplaces flickered in a ring around the room. Each of the 12 teppanyaki grills was manned by a cook wearing a tall red chef’s hat, flipping and slicing ingredients in the center of tables filled with excited customers.
While the company has made no official announcement about the Peoria closure, it has removed the restaurant from its website and has responded to fans’ questions in its social media posts.
“We are sad as well. Love and miss the neighborhood and people,” the company wrote.
While the show is over at the Peoria Kasai, the north Scottsdale location remains open.
Kasai
14344 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
